Radioactive materials are often detected and identified by measuring gamma-rays emitted from the materials. The energy of gamma-rays is specific to that particular material and acts as a “finger print” to identify the material. A high resolution detector typically has better sensitivity and identification capability.
A germanium semiconductor, cooled to 100 K or below, gives the best resolution of current available detector materials and is often employed for this purpose. However, the requirement of keeping the detector below 100 K requires special cooling mechanisms to be implemented, including the use of liquid nitrogen. These requirements mean that germanium-based detectors are typically constrained to use in the laboratory where there is access to liquid nitrogen. Furthermore, the large size of the container of liquid nitrogen means that the radiation detection system is often too heavy to be easily moved by one person. Thus, the weight and power requirements of these detection systems make them unpractical for hand-held use.
There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.